One week after the FBI’s inspector general released a report warning that it’s too easy for the FBI to slap the label of terrorist on political activists in the United States, the FBI raided the homes of six political activists in the Twin Cities and two in Chicago in an effort to prosecute them under the anti-terrorism laws.
Two of the activists in the Twin Cities were heavily involved in organizing the protests at the Republican Convention in 2008.
On at least one of the subpoenas, the FBI is fishing for evidence that the activists were “providing, attempting, and conspiring to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.”
This “providing material support” crime is one of the broadest nets the FBI can throw, and it gets even broader when the charge is “attempting to provide” or “conspiring to provide” such support.
The subpoena also smacks of old-fashioned McCarthyism. It demands all materials related to the “finances of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization” and “the recruitment, indoctrination, and facilitation of other individuals in the United States to join” the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
It also asked for a list of “recruiters” and “recruits” to the group.
I thought we had freedom of association in this country.
I guess I was wrong about that.
Please join the many protests against this blatantly illegal FBI raid that are being held around the country. Or organize one yourself. We can’t let the FBI get away with this.
If you liked this story by Matthew Rothschild, the editor of The Progressive magazine, check out his article Republicans Cry “Class Warfare” When They’re Winning the War.”
Follow Matthew Rothschild Follow Matthew Rothschild @mattrothschild on Twitter